Keyboard in messaging.

On my LG Revolution, when l open a message thread it automatically opens up the keyboard to compose a response. Since the keyboard takes a lot of space, i have to click outside the keyboard to get it to disappear so I can read the previous messages. Is there anyway to set the keyboard to stay hidden as the default until I click on the compose box?

The first thing I would suggest is trying go sms and handcent sms. I haven't tried them yet, but I know they have a lot more customization than the stock messaging app. Also that sounds like a nice feature, I wish the keyboard automatically popped up on my droid

It sounds nice, but it takes up 3 quarters of the screen. So when I get a new message and click on it to read it, I can't actually see what it says until I get rid of the keyboard.

Go sms pro is nice, but it leads to another problem. The revolution has 4 permanent keys along the bottom that I haven't figured out how to change: phone, contacts, messaging, and apps. How do I change the messaging icon to open go sms instead of the default messaging app?

I don't like the keyboard open by default either. I was looking for a setting to have it down by default, but have not found one yet.

As for the app keys on the bottom, you can change them out by dragging an app down from the screen and hover over the one you want to replace, it will light up blue on the slot and when you let go, the new app is docked in.

It's quite possible I'm missing something obvious, but when i start dragging apps, that bottom row disappears and becomes a trash bin to get rid of the app you are moving. I tried holding it over that icon to see if the original bar would come back, but it never did.

I'm sorry DMc5200, start in the app drawer first like you would add an app shortcut (longpress and hold) to a screen and instead of dropping on the screen go down to the dock and hover over the one you want to replace.

I know I was thinking what I wanted to type before LOL....again sorry.